Six Maoists were killed and two arrested following a gunbattle with security forces in the forests of Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Dantewada district on Wednesday, police said.

Security forces came under heavy fire after they approached Gondpalli village in Dantewada, based on a tip-off that Maoists were present there. (PTI File Photo)

Six Maoists were killed and two arrested following a gunbattle with security forces in the forests of Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Dantewada district on Wednesday, police said.

“The skirmish occurred in the forests of Gondpalli village under Aranpur police station when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist operation,” inspector general, Bastar range, SRP Kalluri said.

The operation was launched on Tuesday night by District Reserve Group of police (from Dantewada and Sukma), Special Task Force (STF) and Central Reserve Police Force, following a tip-off regarding the presence of Maoists in Matempara and Gondpalli villages, around 450 km from Raipur on the Dantewada-Sukma border, he said.

The forces came under heavy firing as they reached the target area in the afternoon and the gunbattle ensued, IG Kalluri said.

The encounter lasted till the Maoists fled in the evening.

“The bodies of six rebels, including those of three women, were recovered and six firearms seized,” the IG said, adding that further details were awaited. The security forces are expected to return to camp by Thursday morning.

Special director general of police (anti-Maoist operations), DM Awasthi said two Maoists were arrested from the area after the encounter.

No security personnel was injured in the operation, Awasthi said, terming the operation a “major success”.

At least four teams, comprising 800 security personnel in total, were dispatched for the operation.